Journey

Throughout the last couple years of my journey in this life of following Christ, I've come to realize some things. But before I go into the things I've discovered, let me say this; no matter what you go through, no matter how tough or easy it may seem, always allow God to teach you things. Whatever you are going through give it God. This brings me to some things that I've learned or realized about God working in my life.

First, God doesn't always show you the whole picture. He does this on purpose. If God showed is the whole picture of our lives, I believe we would try and change a few things and mess up the rest. God reveals things about our lives and our journey in such a way that it keeps us humble and puts us in that place where we always have to be in communication with Him and allow Him to speak to our lives. God reveals things about our journey in His right timing. More often that not we as humans are not satisfied with the timing that God operates in because, let's face it, we are selfish. We want things when we want it and we want to do things when we want to do it. How awesome it is that God loves us to reveal a portion of our journey at a time.

Second, when we get to that place God has called us to be, it may not always be what it seems. Just like in life, everything may not be what we thought it would be. I believe that God does this as another way to teach us things. If we go through life and everything is exactly what we thought it was...we may not learn as much as we should. God sometimes throws different situations or problems our way to teach us.

It says in Hebrews 12:5-6, "And you have forgotten that word of encouragement that addresses you as sons: 'My son, do not make light of the Lord's discipline, and do not lose heart when he rebukes you, because the Lord disciplines those he loves and punishes everyone he accepts as a son.'"

Sometimes those things God throws at us, He does it to discipline us because He loves us. Just think back to those times when you got disciplined as a child and how it made you feel to be "grounded" or sit in time out. It feels like crap but our parents did that to teach not to do certain things. The discipline God brings is like that but on a different scale. He is trying to teach what not to do, and challenging us in the areas we need to grown in. We have to be teachable in those moments God is throwing things at us and challenging us. Which brings me to another point.

Third, we always have to be teachable. No matter if you are in ministry as a pastor, lay leader, or just working that job to provide for your family, you always have to have a teachable spirit. If you go through life and always think you know best and never take that criticism well or get offended by someone trying to point things out in your life that you need to improve on, then you will fail. God is always there for and uses people and different things to show you the areas you need to improve on. No matter if it's big or small, there's always something in each and every one of our lives that we need to do better at. I hate to brake it to you, but we are humans and we are NOT perfect. Even though we may have someone that we don't necessarily respect as we do some other people and they are the ones to point some things out that you need to improve on or make a comment that quite possibly could offend you, be teachable and allow God to help you in that area of your life.

So it's been interesting these past couple years on what God is showing me and working on my life. By all means, I don't think I have it all together and I'll be the first one to admit that. This is what God has been speaking into my life and if everyone could just start being teachable in their lives for everything, I believe that God will just continue to pour out into your life and show many new a great things. Ask God for wisdom in your life and open up and be teachable.

Santa Drives a Chevy

I made a trip to my favorite store today, Best Buy. I could spend hours in that store! Today, I was in the CD section and saw an older gentleman wearing a goofy hat that had many colors. As soon I got up close to see his face, I noticed he had a massive white beard. The first initial thought I had was he was Santa Clause!! He must have needed some assistance in getting all his presents for this Christmas so he needed to go to Best Buy.

As I was leaving the store to head back to my car, I notice there was a Chevy pick-up backing up from the first spot in the parking lot. When I looked at who was driving, it was the guy I saw in the store, Santa!! Which brings me to a revelation, Santa drives a Chevy.

I bet you didn't know that, huh?

Christmas Facts

In 1836, Alabama is the first state in the USA to declare Christmas a legal holiday.

In 1843, the first Christmas card was printed in England for Sir Henry Cole. He was busy man who wanted to save time in his own Christmas letters, but was also interested in encouraging the expansion of the postal system. 1000 copies of the card were sold at one shilling each. It was not until the 1860s that the production of cards accelerated, with cheaper printing methods. Then in 1870, the Post Office introduced a half penny stamp for sending cards.

In 1856, President Franklin Pierce decorates the first White House Christmas tree.

In 1907, Oklahoma became the last USA state to declare Christmas a legal holiday.

At midnight on Christmas Eve 1914 firing from the German trenches suddenly stopped. A German brass band began playing Christmas carols. Early, Christmas morning, the German soldiers came out of their trenches, approaching the allied lines, calling "Merry Christmas". At first the allied soldiers thought it was a trick, but they soon climbed out of their trenches and shook hands with the German soldiers. The truce lasted a few days, and the men exchanged presents of cigarettes and plum puddings, sang carols and songs. They even played a game of Soccer.

In 1937, the first postage stamp to commemorate Christmas was issued in Austria.

In 1974, the Australian city of Darwin is devastated late on Christmas Eve and in the early hours of the morning by Cyclone Tracy.

Ponder this...

1. Why are there braille dots on a drive-through ATM keypad?
2. Do you need to use a silencer to shoot a mime?"
3. If you throw a cat out your car window does it become kitty litter?
4. Why is the fear of long words hippopotomonstrosesquippedaliophobia?
5. If a turtle loses its shell is it naked or homeless?
6. What happens if you drive at the speed of light and turn your head lights on?
7. If a mime is arrested, do they tell him he has the right to remain silent?
8. If you spin an oriental man, does he become disoriented?
9. If a penny costs 2.3 cents to make, why is it still only worth a penny?
10. Why do croutons come in airtight packages? It's just stale bread.

More things to ponder...

1. What should you do if you see an endangered animal eating an endangered plant?
2. When sign makers go on strike, is there anything written on their signs?
3. If you were scared half to death twice, would you be 3/4 dead or 100% dead?
4. If Barbie is so popular, why do you have to buy her friends?
5. If a mute swears, does his mother make him wash his hands with soap?
6. If it's tourist season, why can't we shoot them?
7. Why is abbreviated such a long word?
8. It is hard to understand how a cemetery raised its burial cost and blamed it on the cost of living.
9. If a cow laughed real hard, would milk come out her nose?
10. Why did God give men nipples?

Adventure

It seemed like yesterday that there was talk of a missions trip to Ecuador being offered at our church. As soon as I heard about it I knew I was to go on this trip. After attending the informational meetings it was confirmed I was to go.

The cost of the trip is about $1500. I had no clue how I was to get the money. With it being 5 months or so before the trip I knew that God had already brought all the money in for me to go. The whole time before the trip I NEVER worried about getting all my money in.

About a month before the trip, I had about $400 in for my trip. Without a shadow of a doubt I knew God would provide. I receive a phone call one day and someone else that was going on the trip had more money come in then they needed to go and wanted to give me what they had left over. I wasn't shocked not even amazed. I knew that God wanted me to go on this trip. The money this person gave me covered the remaining balance and my trip was now paid in full. All I could do was laugh with joy that God was blessing me.

Why was I not amazed? Why was I not shocked? If God wanted me to go on this trip I knew he would provide the money. If the money didn't come in I knew that I wasn't to go.

Praise God that He has provided the money for me to go on the Ecuador trip. There's a specific reason why God wanted me to go. I pray that God will direct me in every way.

I leave in about 17 hours to fly out. I cannot wait for the adventure that is ahead of me.

Some Things To Ponder

1. Why are there interstate highways in Hawaii?
2. Why are cigarettes sold in gas stations when smoking is prohibited there?
3. Why is there an 's' in lisp?
4. Why does an alarm clock "go off" when it begins ringing?
5. If the front of your car says 'DODGE', do you really need a horn?
6. Does fuzzy logic tickle?
7. What was the best thing before sliced bread?
8. How do they get a deer to cross at that yellow road sign?
9. Why are they called apartments when they are all stuck together?
10. Before the light bulb was invented, what appeared over peoples heads when they had an idea?